Tensioning means for ticker tape



NOV. 27, 1934. I ElTZEN v 1,981,858

TENSIONING MEANS FOR TICKER- TAPE Original Filed Sept. 7, 1929 INVENTORPatented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES.

.TE-N SION'IN GQ'MEAN S FOR TICKER TAPE August D. Eitzen, 'RockvilleCenter, N. Y., as-

signor to News Projection. Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporationof'New York Application September 7, 1929, Serial No. 391,056

ReneweclFebruary 20, 1934 p -5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in stock quotation projectingmachines in general and more especially to improvements in tensioningmeans for the ticker tape as it'is fed.

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimedto provide animproved stock quotation projecting machine whereby the ticker-tape canwith facility be controlled while it passes the light aperture of theprojecting machine to effect smooth projection,both when the ticker tapeis at rest'and when it is traveling.

It is still another object of :the present invention to provide animproved tensioning means or shock absorbing device for-maintaining thetape under tension at all times, both when :at .rest and when traveling,in order to effect smooth projection of the images produced.

More especially it is an object of the present invention to providetensioning means for the ticker tape of a stock quotation projectingmachine which cooperates with the tape adjacent to the ticker so as toabsorbthe slack produced in the tape as quicklyas it is formed by thedischarge of the tape by the ticker.

It is still anotherobject of the present invention to provide animproved tensioning means for the ticker tape of a stock quotationprojecting machine having a tape puller and a switch arm for controllingthe tape puller which engages the tape between the ticker and theprojecting machine, in which the tensioning means isvdisposed to engagethe tape between the ticker and such arm so as to cooperate with suchswitch arm to absorb the slack produced in the tape asquickly as it isformed by the discharge of the tape from the ticker.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide animproved tensioning device for the ticker tape of a stock .quotationprojecting machine which especially adapted for use with cellophane tapeor the like that is inclined to stick .on humid days, especially if thetensioning device is of the type which requires frictional contact withthe tape.

These and other features, capabilities and ad vantages of the inventionwill appear from the subjoined detail description of one specificembodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying, drawing in whichFigure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of stock quotation projectingmachine equipped with the present improvement;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing the presentimprovement; and

Fig. 3 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, the tape T travels from the ticker 1 tothe projector 2, then to the tape puller 3 and from there to the rewindreel 4. For actuating the tape'puller 3 and rewind'reel 4, a motor 5 isprovided which is operatively connected .to drive the worm 6 in meshwiththe worm wheel 7 which is operativelyconncc'tcd to drive the tapepulling roller .8, and which worm wheel 7 is operatively connected bymeans including the spring belt 9 to actuate the rewind reel 4'.

The motor 5 is electrically connected with the switch box 10 whereby thecurrent to the motor is controlled. The switch box 10 is provided with aswitch arm 11 which has a finger 12, see Figs. 2 and 3, which rests onthe tape T. Between the finger 12 and the discharge platform 13of theticker, the tape, in the present instance, is engaged by the tensioningdevice consisting of aspring arm 14 which is secured at its lower end tothe pin 15 extendingffrom the switch box 10.

The arm 14 may consist of any suitable spring wire W, one end of whichis fixedly secured to the collar 16 fixed on the pin 15. Between thecollar 16 and the shoulder formed by the screw head 1'7, the wire W iswound around the pin 15 and then at the head 17 extends into thestraight arm 14, and at the free end of the arm 14 is formed into twobranches 18 and 19 respectively which are provided at their ends withthe cars 20 and 21 respectively. The tape passes over the two branchesl8 and 19, forming a. unitary guiding surface, and the cars 20 and 21form lateral guides to limit the lateral movement of the tape T whilepassing over the branch portions 18 and 19.

As clearly appears from Fig. 2, the tape T passes from the dischargeplatform 13 of the ticker 1 to the free end of the arm 14 between theears 20 and 21, then down below the finger 12 and then up above theguide roller 22 to the light aperture of the projecting machine 2 abovethe lens 23. From the lens 23 the tape preferably passes over the roller24 down to the pin or idler '25, then over the tape pulling roller 8,then back below the idler 26 and then to the rewind reel 4. The tape ispreferably frictionally held in engagement with the tape pulling roller8 by means of the pressing roller 27.

From Fig. 2 it will be seen that the tension of the spring arm 4 is inthe direction of the arm 12 and consequently as quickly as slack isformed in the tape T at the portion 28, the spring arm 14 willimmediately advance to break up such slack, thus forming a cushion tocooperate with the arm 12 to prevent the formation of any free loop atthe portion 28 which might result in the sudden descent of the finger 12causing a jar or vibration to the tape T. 7

Practice has shown that the sudden release of the arm 11 when thetickerjstarts operating after a period of rest results in a disturbingjar or vibration being transmitted to the tape T which in turn will betransmitted to the portion of the tape resting on the lens 23 or lightaperture, as a result of which a momentary flicker will be projected.Such vibrations of the tape will result in very disturbin and annoyingflickering of the images on the screen. With the present tensioningmeans, such annoying jars will be practically eliminated and at leastsumciently eliminated to be imperceptible to the eye of the averageobserver.

It is noted of course that the tension of the spring arm 14 should notbe suiiicient to prevent the arm 12 from descending in the interval thatthe spring arm 14 takes up the slack, but merely suiiicient to act as acushion, yieldable enough however to be returned to the dash and dotposition indicated in Fig. 2 by the weight of the arm 12. The arm 14thus moves toward the finger 12 when the finger 12 starts to descendupon the formation of any slack and thus merely acts as a cushion toprevent the sudden free decent of the finger 12.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a tape puller for drawing tape through aprojector, of an electric motor operatively connected to drive said tapepuller, means for controlling said motor including a switch having aswitch arm resting on the upper face of said tape at the supply end tothe projector to form a loop, said switch arm following the tape toclose the switch when the H loop increases to a predetermined size andto open the switch when the loop is diminished below said predeterminedsize, and a quick acting tension member engaging the lower face of thetape at the loop so formed in advance of said switch arm andsupplementing the switch arm initially to take up the slack as quicklyas formed and said tension member being yieldable backward away fromsaid switch arm to permit the switch arm thereupon to take up the slackand urge the tension member out of such initial slack absorbing positionto prevent the transmission of vibrations formed in the tape by suchslack to the portion of the tape beyond such switch arm.

2. The combination with a tape puller for drawing tape through aprojector as the tape is fed thereto by a ticker, of an electric motoroperatively connected to drive said tape puller, means for controllingthe current to said motor in turn to control the operation of said tapepuller including a switch arm resting on the upper face of the tape atthe entrance end of the projector entirely depending upon gravity forits engagement with the tape, and a spring-pressed tensioning devicebetween said switch arm and the ticker depending upon its springpressure for engagement with the lower face of the tape, said tensioningdevice being more quick acting than said switch arm to absorb the slackas quickly as formed by the ticker and thereby ease the followup of theswitch arm as slack is formed to protect the portion of the tape passingthrough the projector from the jars or vibrations otherwise transmittedthereto by the repeated release and i e-engagement of the tape by theswitch arm with the intermittent feed of the ticker.

3. The combination with a tape puller for drawing tape through aprojector as the p is fed thereto by a ticker, of an electric motoroperatively connected to drive said tape puller, means for controllingthe operation of said motor in turn to control the operation of saidtape puller including an electric circuit for the motor having a switchelement resting on the upper face of the tape at the entrance end of theprojector entirely depending upon gravity for its engagement with thetape, a loop being formed in the tape in advance of the projector whenthe ticker operates, said switch element descending with the formationof a loop in the tape to close the circuit for the motor, and aspring-pressed tensioning device between said switch element and theticker depending upon its spring pressure for engagement with the lowerface of the tape, said tensioning device being more quick acting thansaid switch element to cushion the descent of the switch element whenthe loop is formed to protect the portion of the tape passing throughthe projector from the jars or vibrations otherwise transmitted theretoby the repeated release and re-engagement of the tape by the switchelement with the intermittent feed of the ticker.

4. The combination with a tape puller for drawing tape through aprojector as the tape is fed thereto by a ticker, of an electric motoroperatively connected to drive said tape puller, means for controllingthe operation of said motor in turn to control the operation of saidtape puller including an electric circuit for the motor having a switchelement resting on the upper face of the tape at the entrance end of theprojector entirely depending upon gravity for its engagement with thetape, a loop being formed in the tape in advance of the projector whenthe ticker operates, said switch element descending with the formationof a loop in the tape to close the circuit for the motor, and a springarm engaging the tape between said switch element and the ticker anddepending upon its spring character for engagement with the lower faceof the tape, said spring arm being more quick acting than said switchelement to cushion the descent of said switch element when the loop isformed to protect the portion of the tape passing through the projectorfrom the jars or vibrations otherwise transmitted thereto by therepeated release and re-engagement of the tape by the switch elementwith the intermittent feed of the ticker.

5. The combination with a tape puller for drawing tape through aprojector as the tape is fed thereto by a ticker,.of an electric motoroperatively connected to drive said tape puller, means for controllingthe operation of said motor in turn 3 to control the operation of saidtape puller including an electric circuit for the motor having a switchelement resting on the upper face of the tape at the entrance end of theprojector entirely depending upon gravity for its engagement with thetape, a loop being formed in the tape in advance of the projector whenthe ticker operates, said switch element descending with the formationof a loop in the tape to close the circuit for the motor, and'an armcomposed of spring wire having its upper free end engaging the lowerface of the tape between said switch element and the ticker normallyurging the tape upward toward said switch element and yieldable backwardaway from said switch element.

AUGUST D. EITZEN.

